Ratepayers across Tauranga are picking up a legal and professional advice bill exceeding $1.2 million in the aftermath of the fatal Mauao (Mount Maunganui) landslide, highlighting the mounting exposure and legal complexities facing local authorities in disaster response.
Figures presented to the Tauranga City Council (TCC) reveal that responding to the tragic 22 January 2026 slip, which claimed six lives at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park, has so far cost more than $5 million from the council’s $7 million emergency risk reserves.
Of that, professional advice and legal review expenses have rapidly spiralled past $1.7 million, with external counsel and legal support alone accounting for well over $1.2 million.